Study: Preload Horses With Electrolytes Before Travel, Exercise

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Horses lose large quantities of sodium, potassium, and chloride, as well as smaller amounts of magnesium and calcium, through their sweat. Supplementation before work might help.

Posted by Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA | Feb 7, 2022

Horses lose so many electrolytes through their sweat—even when you don’t see them sweating—they risk drawing electrolytes from muscle cells to replace the lost ones. Fortunately, “preloading” horses with electrolytes, by having them consume an electrolyte mixture before travel or exercise, appears to protect them from such deprivation, said a team of Canadian researchers.

More specifically, a 2-gallon dose of a hypotonic electrolyte supplement can help keep fluids in the muscular cells and lead to longer exercise times, while maintaining high sweating rates—meaning the horse’s cooling system is still working as it should, said Michael Lindinger, PhD, president of The Nutraceutical Alliance, in Burlington, Ontario.

Horses lose large quantities of sodium, potassium, and chloride, as well as smaller amounts of magnesium and calcium, through their sweat...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/1108544/study-preload-horses-with-electrolytes-before-travel-exercise/